canal zone



Dec, 20, 1927. 1,653,444 l H. R. TUCKER GOLD COLLECTING CUP Filed Nov. 20, 1926 INVENToR wiTNEssEs l Zwrz/l'wer BY www? @y ATTORNEY Patented Dec. Z0, 1927.

UITED STATES y Y 1,653,44@ PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. TUCKER, 0F BALBOA, CANAL ZONE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN G. GLAYBOURN, OF PEDROA MIGUEL, CANAL ZONE.

GOLD-COLLECTING CUP.

'Application filed November 20, 1926, Serial No. 149,698, and in Panama October 9, 1926.

The present invention is concerned with the provision of an apparatus for recovering the gold in beach sand by the action of the tide.

collection receptacle so constructed that it may be placedon the beach between the high and low tide lines, and the sand washing over the receptacle under the influence of the water will give up its deposit of gold.

In a preferred embodiment of the `invention, the device is in the nature of a cuplike receptacleV embedded in concrete or some other firm foundation and partially filled with mercury or equivalent material. The specific gravit of the mercury Vprevents the sand from sin ing therein, while permitting the gold particles to settle to the bottom. The mercury is too heavy tobe washed out of the cup by the ordinary action of the water and sand rushing over it, and means is provided for preventing the mercury from being dislodged by the pounding action of the breakers.

More general objects of the invention are to provide a gold recovery apparatus of this nature of simple, practical, construction, which will result in the recovery of gold at no labor cost, which will be rugged, 'durable and efficient in use, and which is well suited to the requirements of economical manufacture and convenient installation on the beach. v

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention'consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arragements of parts, aswill be more fully'hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may -be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the Vaccompanying drawings, wherein#- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through an apparatus embodying the present invention, showing the same in applied position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the protective baffle.

Fig. 3 is a Vperspective view of the cup with the baille removed.

It isto be understood at the outset that the device of the present invention, which I prefer to term a beach cup gold collector, may have a wide range ofutility in other types of gold recovery processes.

An object of the invention is to provide al f In the drawings I have designated at 10 a sand beach, and at 11 a concrete block embedded in the beach and flush with the surface thereof at some pointvbetween the high and low tide lines. Preferably the block is disposed at about the mean tide line in order that the action of the tides may be taken advantage of for the greatest possible length of a disc-like baffle member 16 seating on ashoulder 14 of the post. i

The central bore of the baffle 16 is tapered at 17 in conformity with the shape ofthe` upper end 15 of the post. Thebafiie niember projects laterally beyond the outer edges of the trough 13, so that the mercury 18 whichpartially fills the trough is protected from the direct downward pounding action of the surf, and there is no danger ofthe mercury being splashed out of the trough or cup by the sudden impact of a body of de scending water. f

The operation of the device is substantially as follows. The water washingover the face of the block 11 carries a certain amountof sand over the trough 13. Y This sand is not heavy enough to sink in the mercury 18, but lany minute gold particles carried with the sand willV be deposited in the mercury and sink to the lbottom thereof.v

Ihe uppervportion ofthe trough will be at all times filled with a floating layer of sand, or water, or both, but the presence of this layer will in no way affectthe efficiency of the apparatus, since when the water rushes over it, the sand will be constantly washed out and replaced. A,

The mercury is so heavy that the ordinary washing action of the Water passing over it cannot dislodge it, and the bafiie member effectively prevents splashing of the mercury vby the 'direct downward thrust thereon which might be caused by the breaker.

Ovbiously various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts ydescribed ywithout departing from the invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself tol the details set forth, Y

but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes andv alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A gold recovery'apparatus adapted for disposition on a beach between high and low tide lines, including an open receptacle l adapted to be partially filled with mercury adapted to be partially filled with mercury and a guard for protecting the mercury from the direct downward impact of breaking waves and means for anchoring` the receptacle with its open end approximately flush with the surface ofthe beach, said guard being disposed far enough above the receptacle to permit the shifting sand to be washed back and forth over the mercury.

Y 3. A gold recovery apparatus adapted for disposition on a sand beach between high and-low tide lines including an anchoring block embedded in and approximately flush withvtlie beach, an open mercury cup embedded in the block, and approximately flush with the surface thereof, and a guard to prevent tlie breaking waves from dislodging the mercury.

4. A gol-d recovery vapparatus adapted for disposition on a sand beach-between high and low tide lines including Yan anchoring block embedded in and approximately flush with the beach, an open mercury cup embedded in the block, and approximately flush' 'e with the surface thereof, a guard to prevent the breaking waves from dislodging the mercury, said cup including a central guard supporting post and a mercury-receiving trough around the post.

5. A gold recovery apparatus adapted for disposition on a sand beach between high and low tide linesincluding an anchoring 6. A gold recovery apparatus adapted fory disposition onta sand beach between vhigh and low tide linesincluding an anchoringV block embedded in and approximately iiush with the beach, an open mercury cup eiiibedded in the block, and approximately'flush with the surface thereof, a guard to prevent the breaking waves from dislod ging the mercury, said cup including a central guard supporting post and a mercury-receiving trough around the post, the guard comprising a disc seated on the post and extending laterally above the trough beyond the outer edge" thereof, said post including -a Vtapered upper end fitting a tapered opening in the vguard disc. Y

.7. A gold recovery apparatus adapted for disposition on a sand beach between high and l low tide lines lincluding an anchoring block embedded in andapproximately flush with the beach, an open mercury cup einl'ie'ddedv inl the block, and approximately liushwiththe surface thereofv a guard `to ,prevents the breaking waves from dislodging Vthe mercury, saidcup including a central guard supporting post and a mercury-receiving trough around the post, the lguard comprising a disc seated on the post and extending laterally above the trough beyond the outer edge thereof, said post including a tapered upper end fitting a tapered opening 1n the guard disc, and a shoulder on which the guard' dise seats. Y

HENRY RoNELoEii TUCKER 

